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Editorial Blog: Casino amendment no sure bet

David Blankenhorn argues against legalizing casino gambling in New York.
Kevin Frisch

ROC
12:30 p.m. EDT September 30, 2013

Former Rochester Mayor Bill Johnson joined fellow members of the Institute for American Values this week in making the case against legalizing casino gambling in New York.
(Photo:
KEVIN FRISCH staff photographer
)

Is legalized casino gambling coming to New York? Gov. Andrew Cuomo hopes so; he's pushing a constitutional amendment that goes before voters in November seeking approval for the measure.

Opposing him are organizations like the Institute for American Values, members of which met with the Editorial Board this week to make their case. They cited the oversized profits that casinos rake in from "problem gamblers" and the relative lack of benefit to communities that host casinos.

Former Rochester Mayor Bill Johnson was among the group and made one of the strongest points: That the amendment was crafted largely behind closed doors and with no public hearings or input.

State leaders also lost PR points by wording the amendment in such obviously glowing terms. Legalized casinos, according to the amendment we'll all see in ballot boxes this November, will be responsible for "... promoting job growth, increasing aid to schools, and permitting local governments to lower property taxes ..."

The Board is due to meet early next month with Blair Horner of the New York Public Interest Research Group and Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy, so the information gathering is far from over.